February 25 Music History Report

BIRTHDAYS

Enrico Caruso (1873) operatic tenor (died 1921) age 48 – peritonitis

Ralph Stanley (1927) The Stanley Brothers and Clinch Mountain Boys banjo player/co-founder (died 2016) age 89 – skin cancer

Faron Young (1932) country singer/songwriter [“Hello Walls”], also actor (died 1996) age 64 – suicide by gunshot

Doug Yule (1947) Velvet Underground guitarist/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter

David Stensen (1947) The Grass Roots bassist

John Doe [born John Duchac] (1954) X co-lead singer/bassist/ songwriter/co-founder [current] and solo singer/bassist/songwriter

Dennis Diken (1957) The Smithereens drummer/co-founder [current]

Stuart “Woody” Wood (1957) Bay City Rollers guitarist/songwriter/co-founder

Mike Peters (1959) The Alarm lead singer/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder [current]

Foster Sylvers (1962) The Sylvers bassist/co-founder and solo singer/bassist

Brian Baker (1965) Minor Threat bassist/guitarist/songwriter/co-founder and Bad Religion guitarist/songwriter [current]

Daniel Powter (1971) singer/songwriter/pianist [“Bad Day”]

Justin Jeffre (1973) 98 Degrees singer/songwriter/co-founder

DEATHS

Mark Hollis (2019) Talk Talk lead singer/songwriter/co-founder [“It’s My Life”/”Talk Talk”] and solo singer/songwriter/pianist/guitarist (born 1955) age 64 – long illness

CHARTS

In 1956, “Lisbon Antigua” by Nelson Riddle hits No. 1 – 4 weeks (only No. 1 single)

In 1984, “Jump” by Van Halen hits No. 1 – 5 weeks (only No. 1 single)

In 1995, “Take a Bow” by Madonna hits No. 1 – 7 weeks (11th of 12 No. 1 singles)

NEW RELEASES

(Albums)

In 1977, Atco Records releases the debut studio album from Peter Gabriel, “Peter Gabriel”; Billboard 200: 38; “Solsbury Hill”

In 1980, Capitol Records releases the 11th studio album from Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, “Against the Wind”; Billboard 200: 1 (6 weeks); 5 million copies U.S.; Grammy Award: Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal; “Fire Lake,” “Against the Wind,” “You’ll Accomp’ny Me,” “The Horizontal Bop”

In 1985, Phonogram Records releases the second studio album from Tears for Fears, “Songs From the Big Chair”; Billboard 200: 1 (5 weeks); 7 million copies (5 million copies U.S.); “Shout,” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Head Over Heels”

In 1990, Columbia Records releases the seventh studio album from Midnight Oil, “Blue Sky Mining”; “Blue Sky Mine,” “Bedlam Bridge,” “Forgotten Years”

In 1997, Capitol Records releases the debut studio album from Marcy Playground, “Marcy Playground”; Billboard 200: 21; 1 million copies U.S.; “Sex and Candy”

NOTEWORTHY

In 1995, Frank Sinatra performed live for the last time at a private party attended by 1,200 guests in Palm Springs, California. The set list was “I’ve Got the World on a String,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Where or When,” “My Kind of Town,” “The Best Is Yet to Come”